A Windy Monday (Issued 10 am 4/16)

Strong westerly winds will prevail across the Badgerland today as low pressure moves northeast from Upper Michigan to southern Ontario. The strong winds are being produced by a tight pressure gradient that exists between the departing low pressure system and a high pressure approaching from the Central and Southern Plains. A Wind Advisory has been issued for south central Wisconsin through 4 pm this afternoon and for southeast Wisconsin through 7 pm. This means that sustained winds are expected to reach at least 30 mph and gusts are expected to reach or exceed 45 mph. Winds will subside this evening as the high pressure grows closer.

The image below shows the departing low pressure and tight pressure gradient (yellow contours). The closer these contours are together, the stronger the winds will be. The color image shows wind speed, with blue and green colors indicating stronger winds. The short black lines are wind barbs, which represent wind speed and direction. The more lines extending off of the wind barb, the stronger the wind speed.

Light scattered showers are expected to taper off throughout the day as well, as the low moves northeast. Also, thanks to a cold front that passed through late last night, temperatures will steadily drop into the lower 40s in central Wisconsin and the upper 40s in southern Wisconsin throughout the day.

Here is an image of the high wind gust and high sustained wind reports we have received so far today. For individual reports click here.